


The Best Mistake

by ohpleaselarry



Category: Septiplier - Fandom, jacksepticeye, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Denial, Fluff, M/M, Septiplier - Freeform, Smut, YouTubers - Freeform, idk what to tag I'll just leave it at this lol, not a ton but ya know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 15:43:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12302322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohpleaselarry/pseuds/ohpleaselarry
Summary: "I just got the best idea for a video. We should, get this, reenact fanfiction." Jack's got a smug smirk on his face, like he just came up with the greatest thought in the world."That's...a terrible idea. Why would we give the fans what the want? I thought you wanted the septiplier shit over with?" Mark says, heart racing. He's as sober as can be, but he feels a bit lightheaded. He's read some of the fanfictions, of course, he knows what could happen. What if it gets awkward? No, it would definitely get awkward."Yes, terrible! Let's do it!" Jack says, ignoring nearly everything Mark's just said.





	The Best Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ. OK, so basically, here's the thing. I've never written anything but Larry fanfiction. But then again, I haven't written any fanfiction in what feels like forever anyways. So, people who were waiting for sequels and more works and stuff, sorry, but it's still delayed until I can find any inspiration to write Larry again. But probably not since I'm not even following 1D anymore.  
>  ANYWAY.  
>  Basically, I'm a new fan. Of course, I vaguely knew who jack and mark were. But I had never watched either of their videos until about three months ago. As someone who goes on tumblr a good bit, I would sometimes randomly see these cute fanarts of some dudes with green and red hair. One day, I actually clicked on one and read the description, realising who they were, so (in my defence) when I searched them up on YouTube to finally check them out, I LEGIT thought they were dating. For real. I just thought they were cute YouTube boyfriends who had a large fan base. My only knowledge of them was that dude who cries a lot and the one with green hair, and I wanted new content to watch so I checked them out and it wasn't until about a week into my binge watch (AFTER I had already started writing this fic. It's not that weird for me. As a writer, this happens a lot. I find random stuff and fanfiction comes pouring out) but a week in, mark mentioned something about Jack's girlfriend. (I don't remember what, it was forever ago) I was like wait what? Searched them up on safari and actually read their Wikipedia's.  
>  I was like..."oh damn"  
>  Ugh okay to make a long story short, yes I am technically a shipper now bc they are both hot which means they are double hot together, but here's the thing: I respect them and I respect their girlfriends. Which is why I ask that nobody copies this link and sends it to them on Twitter. I'm fine if y'all share it to tumblr with other shippers, but please don't tag them. This fanfiction (which probably won't be the last septiplier fanfic tbh) is only for the shippers enjoyment.  
>  BASICALLY what I'm trying to say, is that I'm a fairly new fan, and besides having watched nearly all of their videos and read their wiki's, I may have information that is wrong. I don't have years of knowledge about them. I'm still learning. So feel free to correct me on anything I wrote wrong. Also, this is unedited so if there's mistakes they should be fixed within the next few weeks. Also, I changed their gf's names as well.  
>  Sorry for the long note, but I had to get that out there.

To be fair, it started out innocent.

With touring and making videos and their personal lives, Jack and Mark hardly get to see each other. In real life, that is, rather than over a video game or a Skype call. It's always been sort of depressing. It was between tours, in a small little area where neither of them had anything extravagant planned. No signings, no meetings, no panels. A little bitty week. That's when Mark brought it up.  
They were on the phone, sharing stories about their own tours that they were both recently on.  
"How long has it been since you visited?"  
Jack doesn't have to think very long. With how much the internet rages about them, you'd think they see each other everyday, but it's been a while. He instantly remembers with a fond smile.  
"PAX." He says, talking about six months before. He remembers the fans screaming at them as they made fools of themselves on stage. Getting to meet everyone. He loves it.  
"Six months. Been a while. Heard you don't have anything planned next week." Mark says, his voice with that little tilt to it. Jack knows what he's going to say.  
"Lemme guess, you've already got video ideas. What day should I book a flight for?"  
And that's it.

 

Mark doesn't know why he's nervous. He always gets like this when he sees someone after a long time apart. Besides the fact they technically see each other virtually all the time, Mark hasn't actually seen Jack in six months. Six!  
"Can't believe you bought him beer." Kate says, grinning at him. Mark runs his hand through his hair again. He knows it's a proper mess by now.  
"He's Irish!" Is all he can come up with. He's busy waiting for that doorbell. He fiddles with his phone.  
"Wish I could make you that nervous." Kate says, with a laugh, and Mark is going to deny it, but she knows him too well.  
"What if it's awkward? What if we aren't as close? I know the whole septiplier thing can make it awkward sometimes."  
Kate rolls her eyes and is about to answer, when the doorbell rings. Chica is already at the door ready to greet him before Mark even gets there. He bounds down the hall and holds chica's collar so she doesn't go out the door.  
Mark opens the door, and before he even has time to say anything, Jack's setting down his suitcase and hugging him tightly, saying something loudly. Probably "honey I'm home" if Mark had to guess. He's too busy feeling relief, his mind racing. Why would it be awkward? They're Mark and Jack! He doesn't know what he was thinking. Jack is now on the floor, petting at Chica as she licks his face. Jack then stands and hugs Kate.  
Mark picks up Jack's suitcase and shuts the door.  
"Might be a bit jet lagged. I missed you guys. It's so warm here!" He's all smiles, eyes very bright.  
"It's always warm here. None of that sweater weather shit allowed in LA." Mark says, making Jack laugh.  
"I forgot how deep your voice is." Jack says, and Kate is shaking her head.  
"Don't you two Skype like every day?"  
Jack's cheeks are pink. From the jet lag or the reunion, Mark isn't sure. He's cute. Mark's not afraid to admit that. Jack's always been cute. He says it all the time.  
"It's different!" He says, trying to act distraught but it doesn't work because he's smiling too much.  
Mark's cheeks are beginning to get sore from smiling himself, though, so he can't really poke fun.

 

Somehow, it happens.  
Mark bought the beer for Jack, of course. He can't drink, everyone knows that, but he didn't expect Jack to actually get drunk.  
"I hate getting drunk." He says, his accent thicker, his movements less steady, his cheeks more pink. They are on the balcony. Kate has a day out with her friend tomorrow planned, so she's already asleep. They decided to go sit out on the balcony and talk. It's nice, to just sit and talk with a friend, not having to worry about cameras or what people are thinking. They can be themselves. Talk about personal shit. Things that the fans don't know.  
"I know. Why'd you drink so much, then?" Mark asks with a laugh, and Jack shrugs. He's sat on his chair, looking through his phone. He squints over at Mark and grins.  
"I don't know. T'celebrate our reunion. I just got the best idea for a video. We should, get this, reenact fanfiction." Jack's got a smug smirk on his face, like he just came up with the greatest thought in the world.  
Mark doesn't know why his heart leaps, but he thinks it probably because the thought makes him nervous. They are both always talking about how the whole septiplier thing is too much.  
"That's...a terrible idea. Why would we give the fans what the want? I thought you wanted the septiplier shit over with?" Mark says, heart racing. He's as sober as can be, but he feels a bit lightheaded. He's read some of the fanfictions, of course, he knows what could happen. What if it gets awkward? No, it would definitely get awkward.  
"Yes, terrible! Let's do it!" Jack says, ignoring nearly everything Mark's just said.  
"I think if you really want to, we should wait until morning when you're sober." Mark says hesitantly. He doesn't really know what to say. Jack had never said anything like this. But then again, Jack doesn't usually get drunk when he visits. Especially around Mark, he usually keeps it at just one or two beers.  
Jack wiggles his finger at Mark sassily, and Mark can't help but smile.  
"We gotta do it now before I forget. Besides, I'm sober!" He is then jumping up very unsteadily, and rushing to the door to go inside and get a camera. Mark sits at his chair, stunned, wondering what the hell he's just gotten himself into.

"Jack comes up behind Mark and hugs him from behind, kissing softly at his neck.'Do you want some of these candy apples?' He asks sexily, and Mark sets down the apples and spins in his arms. Their lips crash--" Mark stops there because then he feels arms looping slowly around his waist, soft lips pecking at his neck.  
"The camera's not on, Jack, wait--"  
"Practicing the shot. Don't you know how to YouTube?" Jack says, and it sort of makes no fucking sense, but Mark stands stock still as Jack kisses his neck, and he sort of forgets to breathe. Jack's lips are hardly touching his skin, just soft pecks, and he smells like beer, but goosebumps are raising all up Marks arms. They've hugged, sure, and wrestled, and touched plenty, but it's completely different. Mark doesn't know what the hell is happening. He scrambles to think of something to break the tension. The air feels thicker than anything.  
"Oh Jackaboy." He says in his deep creepy voice, and Jack starts to laugh against his neck, breath hot.  
"You're fucking weird." He says as he laughs, and backs away to adjust the light behind him, and Mark's back is suddenly cold. He exhales and runs a hand through his hair.  
The camera is already set up, so Mark just has to press record and stand in front of his tray of apples, pretending to prepare food. He can do this. He can pretend he's dating Jack. This is what Jack wants to do. He's Mark's guest, and his best friend, how can he say no? What's the worst that'll happen?  
"I can't wait to show you this when you wake up hungover. You'll regret your whole life." Mark says, peeking back and finding Jack making the light more dim. More--romantic lighting.  
Jack rolls his eyes.  
"I'm not drunk! I'm more sober than anyone." He says matter of factly. Mark raises an eyebrow and picks up one of the apples.  
"Think fast." He says, and even waits two seconds to throw the apple to Jack.  
Jack reacts far too late. As in, the apple bounces off his chest and onto the floor, and only then does Jack's hands come up to catch it, which then throws him off balance. He stumbles a bit but steadies himself, blue eyes wide and doe-like. Mark's doubled over the counter, laughing. Jack's eyebrows furrow and he smacks Mark's arm, but then he laughs too.  
"Stupid contagious laugh. Make your candy apples so I can do my part!" He demands, and Mark holds up his hands in surrender, still holding back giggles. He turns back to his apples and fiddles with them. He peeks up to make sure the camera is recording.  
"Okay. I'm ready." Mark says, then begins to stick the candy apple sticks into the apples.  
Jack steps into the frame and circles his arms around Mark, but unexpectedly, instead of his hands coming to rest just over his shirt, they snake under it, and his cold fingers give Mark goosebumps as they glide across his torso and eventually come together. He laces his fingers together just over Mark's surgery scar as he begins to kiss his neck. Mark unconsciously tilts his head to the side to give Jack more room to kiss, and it takes him a solid five seconds to realise his hands are frozen where he's supposed to be making the candy apples.  
Mark gulps and breaks out of his surprise, continuing to poke the sticks in the apples. He doesn't know what face he's making, but he hopes it's neutral, and not the shock he really feels.  
"How about I show you some real candy?" Jack says, only a bit slurred. It's not exactly his line, but Mark remembers that he's supposed to turn. He sets down the apples and does. Jack doesn't move his hands, so when Mark is turned, Jack's hands are resting at his lower back.  
Mark doesn't remember ever being this close to him. He figures that hugging and wrestling and goofing off doesn't really count, because the context is so much different. Jack's eyes are dilated, his cheeks are pink, and he's looking right at Mark's lips.  
They went over it before. The plan is to lean in as if they were going to kiss, but then the video would cut to them sitting on a couch shaking their heads and getting onto the viewer for wanting to see that.  
That was the plan, anyway.  
They both lean in, but Mark stops a few inches away.  
Mark stops, but Jack doesn't.  
Before he knows what's happened, there's lips against his.  
Mark's mind blanks. He doesn't know why he kisses back, but his heart is racing and Jack smells like cookies or flowers. Something sweet.  
Then they are moving. Jack's hands leave his back and pull at the front of his shirt. They stumble recklessly to the couch a few feet away to the connecting den. Jack gently pushes Mark onto the couch and climbs in his lap, their lips never disconnecting. Jack straddles him and one of his hands are then in Mark's hair, the other balling into his shirt. Mark's own hands clutch at Jack's thighs. It feels way too hot in the room, and Mark is hard.  
Jack's lips leave his, only to begin to trail sloppy kisses down his neck. Mark's head tips back against the back of the couch, lips parting.  
Unexpectedly, Jack's hand tightens in his hair, and Mark gasps. He bites his lip, wondering if Kate could hear that.  
His eyes shoot open as reality comes crashing back down.  
Mark pushes Jack back, and the boy blinks in confusion.  
"J-Jack, this--" Mark pushes at Jack until he stands up. Mark then wordlessly leads him to the guest room. Rather than say anything, Jack does a happy hum when he sees the guest bed and flops down onto it. Mark doesn't stay a minute longer. He walks back to the kitchen and with shaky hands turns off the camera and the lights. He can feel tears springing to his eyes as he realises not only is he hard from his best friend, but that he just cheated. With his best friend. With Jack. He has a crazy thought.  
Oh how the fans would react if they knew.  
His hands are shaking. He's sweating bullets. He starts to cry.  
It's a long night.

 

Jack doesn't wake up until 11. Mark knows that because he doesn't sleep. Kate wakes up at 9 and leaves for her day out with her friend Rachel. Mark pretends to be asleep on the couch so that he doesn't have to look her in the eyes. He knows he wouldn't be able to lie to her.  
When Jack finally wakes up, he comes into the living room wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. He's squinting at the light coming from outside. Mark sits stock still on the couch, scrolling through his twitter feed to distract himself.  
"Mornin', man I must've got pissed last night. What happened?" Jack says, sitting on the couch next to Mark.  
He doesn't look at Jack. Doesn't think he can. Instead, he keeps scrolling.  
"Um...you don't remember?" Mark replies, trying to sound nonchalant.  
"Not a thing. I remember drinking and talking about Elise. Not much else." He says, speaking of his ex girlfriend.  
Mark can't help but look at him in surprise. Jack's already looking at him too. His eyes are puffy and squinted. Forehead wrinkled as he probably deals with a huge hangover. His lips are pink and his hair is messy. Mark has to look away, because then he remembers the way Jack's lips pressed against his own. The room feels too hot, even though Jack is pulling his hoodie over his hands like he's cold.  
"Well, uh, we just talked and...went to bed." Mark's not the best liar. He may seem like it, but not unless he's prepared for it. He doesn't think he could ever be prepared for this. He almost expects Jack to call him out, but the irishman just yawns and asks him if he's got any headache medicine.  
Once he leaves the room to retrieve it, Mark rubs his eyes with his fists, feeling completely exhausted after a night of crying and no sleep.  
He doesn't know if he can pretend it never happened. Not only that, but he's now dealing with the fact that he can't stop thinking about the way Jack's scruff scratched at his chin, and how it made Mark's heart race.

 

The day drags on. Mark deletes the camera recording. They start to brainstorm for video ideas. They go out for lunch. Sign some autographs and take some pictures with random fans they meet while out. Slowly but surely, Mark starts to feel better. Jack seems to know something's up, though, because he keeps making jokes and bringing up funny past stories like he's trying to cheer him up. It actually helps. Mark realises Jack legitimately doesn't remember. If Jack doesn't remember, then Mark can pretend it was all in his head.  
He doesn't know if that's better or worse.

"I'm sorry I got drunk last night. I hate getting drunk. I always feel bad when I drink around you anyways since you can't. I guess I was just really excited about coming here again. It's been a while."  
Mark blinks in surprise and sets down he bag containing the shirt he just bought himself. They stopped at a few random stores on the way home.  
"Oh, uh, it's fine. I don't mind it. I don't, like, crave the alcohol. You can drink if you want."  
"You aren't mad at me?" Jack asks, then looks like he sort of wishes he hadn't, cheeks pinking. Mark's eyebrows furrow.  
"No? Why would I be?" He asks, and Jack sits on the couch, shrugging a bit. He picks up the rubix cube on the coffee table and fiddles with it.  
"I don't know. You've been weird today. You seem distracted." Jack says. He's never been one for talking feelings like this, which is why Mark guesses he's not looking at him.  
He sits at the couch as well, watches Jack mess with the toy, and wishes he could forget the way those hands felt on him. Tugging at his hair.  
"I didn't sleep very well last night. I think I was too excited. Planning some videos." Mark says. He hates lying. He hates lying just as much as he hates that he can't clear his head.  
He can't help but think this will be a very long week.

 

Slowly, things go back to normal. Mark pretends nothing happened. He kisses Kate before bed. Holds her like everything's normal. He and Jack record some videos. They have fun.  
By the fourth day, Mark can look at Jack without feeling like he might die. He pushes what happened so far in his memory that he can easily pretend it was a dream. Not real.  
Then they invite everyone over to the recording house.  
And someone suggests truth or dare.

 

Everyone's here. Kate, Bob, Wade, Ethan, Tyler, Molly, Mandy, and Kate's friend Rachel.  
Mark doesn't remember who suggests truth or dare, he just remembers thinking oh god no please.  
Anyone who's played truth or dare knows what it can lead to. What it will lead to. And it always does. Every time.  
Mark doesn't have time to back out though because everyone is agreeing and the game has started by the time he can even blink.  
It starts out alright. Molly dares Bob to wax his leg. Wade dares Tyler to give Ethan a lap dance. Kate dares Jack to sing a Justin Bieber song.  
Then it's Rachel's turn.  
"I dare Mark to kiss Jack for at least five seconds." She says, grinning mischievously. Like she's been waiting for her turn.  
Mark's stomach flips. His eyes widen.  
"Septiplier away!" Ethan yells, making everyone laugh.  
"C'mon, are ya scared?" Kate asks him, nudging his shoulder. Mark wonders how she can be okay with her boyfriend kissing someone else.  
Jack is sitting right across from him, pretending to faint.  
"All of my dreams are coming true." He says in a girly voice, making everyone laugh again.  
Mark realises he can't back out without it being weird. If he backs out, Kate will automatically know something's up. Mark loves games. He's very competitive. He wouldn't back down on a dare.  
"We've played truth or dare before. I'm honestly surprised this hasn't happened already." Jack says, seeming to realise Mark is hesitating. He seems to want to break the ice, sort of.  
Mark gets on his knees from his spot and knee walks across the circle. Everyone is making jokes about it. Mark knows his cheeks are pink.  
"They're never going to let us forget this." He says, and Jack shakes his head with a laugh.  
"Nope." He confirms.  
Mark can't just sit here in front of him like an idiot, so he leans forward and just does it. He kisses him, counting down from five in his head.  
When he pulls back, he notices three things.  
One, Jack's mouth is parted just a bit in shock. Two, his eyes are wide. Three, he's looking at Mark like he's just been slapped.  
Mark is a people person. He's outgoing and he loves people. He loves talking to people, especially his friends and family. He knows how to judge people's face to recognise different emotions. Especially if he knows them. He knows what realisation looks like. He knows what it looks like when someone remembers something they've forgotten. He knows what someone looks like when they realise they've been lied to. Somehow, he sees all of this in Jack's face in those few seconds when they part.  
Mark blinks, and everyone in the circle is cheering. He moves back to his spot and glances back at Jack.  
He's looking down at his lap. His mouth is shut in a fine line. His cheeks are red. He looks embarrassed or angry or both. He stands up and goes to the joined kitchen. Mark doesn't watch him. He instead pretends like his whole world didn't just change.

 

They sit in complete silence, watching Rick and Morty, until Kate yawns and says she's going to sleep.  
"I'm guessing you two are going to record?" She asks, giving Mark a kiss and standing at the doorway leading to the hall.  
"Yep." Jack says, and Mark acts like he's not surprised. He manages to smile at Kate, and she waves, eyes drooping, and leaves for bed.  
It's quiet for a long time. The show goes on. Neither of them laugh at the jokes. Mark's heart races. He starts to sweat, waiting impatiently for Jack to talk.  
After ten minutes, Mark can't wait anymore.  
"I'm sorry, Jack." He says quietly.  
Jack doesn't reply for a while. Mark doesn't look at him to see his reaction. He feels like he might cry.  
"You're the last person I ever thought would lie to me." Jack finally says, and Mark's eyes are welling up. He opens his mouth to apologise again, but Jack talks first.  
"I don't--I'm sorry. I don't know if it was the alcohol. I've never done something like that before. I've never just kissed someone before, even while drunk. I don't know what was going on in my head."  
Mark looks at him, but Jack doesn't look back. He looks extremely embarrassed, and his hands are fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, like he can't stay still.  
"What? Don't apologise--"  
"I was worried that I might make it weird. I know I make a lot of jokes about dating you and shit. I didn't mean to let--I've been trying to get over it, that's why I never mentioned visiting even though I've wanted to for months."  
"Get over what?" Mark doesn't know what's happening. He's never seen Jack this emotional, this distressed, and this quiet before. His accent is thick, and the way his eyes are welling up makes Mark emotional as well. He wipes his eyes before his tears can fall. He's never been good at keeping his emotions at bay, especially when someone else is getting emotional.  
"Nothing. It's stupid. I'm going to go to sleep. Can we just forget everything? I can go back home if you want."  
Mark shakes his head vigorously.  
"No, Jack, I don't want you to leave. You're my best friend. If you want me to forget what happened then I will, but that won't solve anything. And I don't get why you're apologising. You didn't do anything wrong. I kissed you back and I didn't stop it." Saying it out there like that is weird, but it had to be said.  
Jack runs a hand through his hair and doesn't reply. He leaves the room and Mark hears the guest room door click shut shortly after.  
He spends another night on the couch, wondering what he is going to do.

 

The next day, Jack tells them that Felix called him for some important recording that can only happen that day. That he has to fly back to Brighton in just a few hours. Mark instantly knows it's bullshit, because just the morning before he talked to Felix on the phone, who said he's spending today relaxing at home with Marzia.  
Mark doesn't say this though, instead, he drives Jack to the airport.  
"I don't want you to go." Mark says as soon as they start the drive. Kate stayed back to do something...he doesn't remember.  
Jack stares out the window and doesn't reply.  
"Please, Jack, I want you to stay. When I realised you didn't remember, I lied because I didn't want us to fall apart. You're my best friend."  
Jack musses with his hair and exhales heavily.  
"I can't do this to Kate. I can't get in the way of your relationship."  
"You won't! This doesn't have to change anything!"  
"I got here and in just a few hours I made you cheat!" Jack exclaims, throwing his hands up and looking at Mark like he's not getting it. Which he isn't.  
"I chose to cheat, Jack. You didn't make me do anything! I kissed you back and I didn't stop you. You were drunk. This is more my fault than yours."  
They arrive at the airport, and after a few minutes, Mark pulls into a parking spot.  
Jack takes off his seatbelt.  
"Mark, you're confused. I know you very well by now. You love Kate. This isn't worth it. I'm not worth hurting her. It's better this way."  
"I don't want to lose you." Mark chokes, starting to cry. He's cried a shit load in the past few days, and it's just annoying now. He wipes away his tears angrily.  
Jack chews at his lip, looking at him, his eyes very blue. Mark realises that his hair is getting pretty faded. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wonders if he will re dye it.  
"I'll...text you. I just need time alone. To think."  
"Then spend some time at Wade's. Or Ethan's. Anyone's." Mark's scared that Jack will leave and never come back. Never call him again. That their friendship is ruined. He's lost too much in his life to lose someone like Jack. Someone he talks to nearly everyday.  
Mark doesn't expect it, but Jack reaches out and wipes his tears away. His hands are soft. Mark places his hand on top of Jack's, holding it there. Jack leans forward, reaching over Mark's lap to under the wheel, where he pulls the lever that opens the trunk with a pop. As he does, his eyes drop to Mark's lips.  
"Jack..." Mark trails off, leaning closer. He doesn't know why he does. Jack smells like home.  
"Don't follow me, Mark. I'll text you, I promise." Jack says, then he's getting out of the car and grabbing his suitcase from the trunk. The trunk is then shut and Mark watches him walk away until Jack reaches the elevator that leads to the airport from the parking garage. He doesn't look back once.  
He sits in the parking garage for an hour, staring at the elevator, hoping it will open and Jack will come back.  
It takes Mark a stupid amount of time to realise why he didn't want Jack to leave so bad. Why he couldn't stop thinking about their kiss. Why he is always so eager to give him a call. To make jokes. To be witty and impress him. Why he gets that small pang in his heart when Jack is goofing off with someone else.  
He loves him.

 

When he gets home, Kate is sitting on the couch. Mark realises he forgot to compose himself, so when she sees him his eyes are red rimmed and his hair is a mess.  
When she sees him she doesn't look surprised. Instead, she stands up and gives him a soft smile.  
"Did you realise you're in love with him?" She asks, and that just starts the tears back up.  
She holds him as he cries and then makes him hot tea with honey.  
They sit on the couch and talk about everything and anything in between until the sun comes up.

 

Three days later, Mark is standing at Jack's front door. He's more nervous than he's ever been before. He musses with his hair, and shivers in the cold England air. He only vaguely thought of the weather, so he's just in a sweater. It was a spur of the moment thing, when he bought the tickets. He starts to have doubts. What if Jack gets angry? What if he hates him? What if he's not even home? Or he's asleep?  
Mark rings the door before he can back out.  
It takes a minute, but eventually it opens. Jack's eyes widen in surprise. Mark's eyes automatically drop to what the irishman is wearing. Some sweats and, get this, a hoodie from one of Mark's charity streams a year or two back.  
He starts to laugh before he can control himself.  
Jack crosses his arms across his torso, hiding the design, and his cheeks turn pink. His hair is a vibrant green. He's dyed it back to the same light green he did the first time he dyed it, rather than the darker colour it's been for a while. It looks fresh. Like it was done today.  
"It was the only clean hoodie." He says, but can't help but smile.  
Mark just laughs, and its loud in the quiet night.  
Jack pulls him inside and shuts the door.  
"Can ya shut up? My neighbours are gonna think someone's dying over here."  
Mark didn't expect to be pulled in like that, so he stumbles a bit. He recovers quick, though, and uses it to his advantage, swirling them around and pressing Jack against the now closed door.  
Jack's eyes are wide, surprised, very blue.  
Mark presses in close, one hand still on the door next to Jack's head, the other pulls him close by his waist. They're flushed together, and Mark just stares at him, waits for Jack to say something.  
The boy just looks flustered for a moment, his hands still pressed against Mark's chest in surprise.  
"What're you doing?" Jack whispers, and they are so close. Mark can feels his breath on his face. He ignores the question.  
"Why didn't you tell me you have feelings for me?" Mark asks, voice deeper than he expected. He blames it on the way Jack is looking at him. Cheeks pink, eyes wide, teeth nibbling at his bottom lip.  
"What?" Jack asks, then attempts to step out from the cage Mark's got him in against the door.  
Mark pulls him back, then places both his hands on Jack's hips, holding him against the door.  
Then he leans forward and kisses him.  
Jack's hands slide up from Mark's chest, instead circling around his neck. His mouth opens, and the kiss gets steamy very fast.  
Mark separates the kiss, leaning back a few inches so he can get a good look at the way Jack's eyes slowly come back open hazily, and the way his lips are wet and very pink now.  
"How long did you pretend you didn't have feelings for me?"  
"I was scared. I couldn't accept it. That's why I dated Elise--"  
"How long?"  
Jack shrugs, even though he looks like he definitely knows.  
"I-I don't know. A few, um, years--"  
Mark kisses him again, interrupting his sentence. But this time, he presses their crotches together, rubs him just right. Jack's eyes flutter.  
Mark leans in and bites at Jack's neck.  
"Can't believe you kept this from me," he murmurs in Jack's ear, "all this time we could've been doing this instead of running around like idiots."  
"I thought you were straight. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. Besides, I'm not the only one keeping secrets. I'm not the one who's got you pinned against a door right now."  
Jack's wit never fails him. Mark loves him.  
"Shut up. Do you ever stop running your fucking mouth?" Mark asks, continuing to press their crotches together in slow circles.  
"Nope. Don't you know me at all?" Jack asks, but it's weak. His mouth is dropped open, and he's making these small gasps that Mark can't get enough of.  
"Close?" He asks, speeding up his movements. Jack curses breathily.  
"Yeah." He murmurs back, and then leans forward, hides his face in Mark's neck and makes this hot gasp as he comes.

 

Later, after hours of talking, and lots more kisses, and even cuddles, they're sat on the couch playing a new game. Mark's losing, so at just the right time, he leans over and plants a kiss on Jack's shoulder. The boy looks over with a sheepish grin.  
Mark scores. Jack's mouth drops open.  
"Oh, you fucking cheater!" He exclaims, and Mark bursts into laugher. Jack lurches for him, and they fall off the couch in a wrestle war.

Mark wouldn't have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> If y'all want, I could start on a sequel or a series with this. Lemme know in the comments. :)


End file.
